The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1887-08-06
MIR. DAVIS ON PROHIBITION.
The letter Read by TreasurerL lubbock
at the Fort worth Meeting.

The letter Read by Treasurer Lubbocl
ut the Fort worth Meeting.
BEAUyoIR, MTss, July 20, 1857.
| Col. F. r. lubbock
My Dear FrienL-Yours of the 10Th instan
with Its enclosures has been received.
have heretofore declined to answer any
| ofthe inquiries made for my opinion ON til,
constitutional amendment now pending il
Texas. My reason for not replying was ar
| unwillingness to enter into q controversy in
which my friends in Texas stood arrayed
against each other.
In departing from the rule heretofore OBJ.
served, trust that it will not be All unwar.
rantable intrusion.
Reared in the creed of Democracy, my faith
In Its tenets has grown with its growth, and
adhere to the maxim that "The world is
governed too much.''
When our fathers achieved their independ-
ence the corner stone of the government they
constructed was individual liberty, and the
social organizations they established were
not for the surrender, but for the protection
of natural rights. For this governments
were established deriving their Just powers
from the consent of the governed. This was
not to subject themselves to the will of the
majority, as appears from the fact that each
community inserted in its fundamental law
a bill of rights to guard the inalienable privi-
leges of the individual.
There was then two-fold purpose in gov.
ernment, protection and prevention against
trespsss by the strong upon the weak, the
many on the few.
The world had long suffered from the OPP
press ions of government under the pretext
Of ruling by divine right, aud excusing the
invasion into private and domestic affairs ON
the plea of paternal care for the morals and
good order of the people,
Our sires rejected all such pretentions,
their system being: Government by the peo-
pie for the people, and resting on the basis of
natural, inalienable rights. Upon the basis
of these general propositions I will briefly
answer the inquiry in regard to the prohibi-
tiOn amendment at issue.
"Be ye temperate in all things' was wise
injunction. and would apply to intolerance
as well as to drunkenness. That the intem-
perate use of intoxicating liquors is an evil,
few, If any, would deny.
That 1t is at the root of many social disor-
ders Is conceded, but then the question
arises, what is the appropriate remedy, and
what the present necessity? To destroy in
divlduai liberty and moral responsibility
would be to eradicate one evil by the substi-
luton of another, which it is submitted
would be more fatal than that for which 1t
was offered as remedy. The abuse, and not
the use of stimulants. it must be confessed,
Is the evil to be remedied. Then 1t clearly
follows that action should clearly be directed
against the abuse rather than the use, If
be the cause of disorder and
,rne, why not pronounce drunkenness it.
'elf to be q crime and attach to 1t proper
Ind adequate penalties? If it be objected |
hat the penalties could not be enforced, that |
S an admission that popular opinion would |
)e opposed to the law; ; but if it be true that |
uries could not be impanneled who would |
convict so degraded q criminal as q drunk |
lrd, it necessarily follows that Il statuary |
against the sale and use of intox- I
cants would be dead letter.
The next branch of the inquiry IS as to the |
PRESENT necessity.
sustain the assertion that the convival
se Of intoxIcai IS, and the occurrence of
had become less frequent with
n the last twenty years than it was before.
he refining influences of education and
may be credited with tlisresult.
Why not allow these blessed hand dmaidens of
lrtue and morality to continue unembarras-
ed their evilizng work. The parties TO
his discussion in your State have no doubt
rought forward the statistical facts in re-
ard 10 the effect produced in other States bv
his effort to control morals by legislation,
nd l will not cucumber this letter ty any
efertnce to those facts.
You have already provision for local pro-
ibition. lfit has proved the wooden horse
4 which Il disguised enemy to State sover-
ynty as the guardian of individual liberty
vas introduced, let 1t be u warning that the
march would probably be from
ilage to State anu from State Ito the United
tates.
A governmental supervision and paternity
lstead Of the liberty the heroes of l776 left
$ legacy 10 their posteity. Irnpeled by
ne affection and gratitude feel for the
eople of Texas and the belief that II great
uestion OF American policy is involved in
ne issue You have before you, the silence
ad hoped to observe has been unbrOllen. If
le utterance shall avail anything foi good IT
III COMPENSATE me for the objurgations
18th which shall doubtless be pursued by
le followers OF the populsrism OF the day.
lnope the many who have addressed me-
tiers OF inquiry on the same subject will
acept his as an answer, though somewhat
my delayed. Faithfully yours
JEFFERSON DAVIS.